Welp. Shits getting real. MN hosptials are maxed. Family friend waited outside in December in MN for hours for an emergency appendectomy. They barely got him in during a 45 minute free block and operated on him in his street clothes.
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Yeah at this point Iām just encouraging my family to avoid the peak and do supportive measures like vitamin D. Iām a little worried omicron is enough that, short of people who can N95 well for any and all exposures, weāre headed toward āIām gettin that foā shoā territory.
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There are a lot more possible cases at my work. Not confirmed ones. But a lot of suspicious ones. 
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Eeek. Glad he got it. But eeeek.
Yeah, omicron is a winner. Kinda proud of it in a weird way? Like no point being angry. Just watching it coming for everyone I know and love in a systematic manner. Dropping and shipping meds and snacks all over in case that helps.
Delivered a pulse oxy today. That was fun
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Mostly hoping to make it out of the first trimester at least. We are not cancelling Christmas but we are stocking up on rapid tests and eating in pods.
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For folks who test because of symptoms, two people tested negative, and then later tested positive a couple days later. It seems like some people are ruling out Covid and carrying on. I think if someone has lasting symptoms, itās a good idea to retest! I think people also forget itās possible to get a cold or have an allergy and then get Covid and they assume whatever their first illness was is still ongoing and not factoring in getting a new illness.
ETA These are two recent cases in my friend group. The second one is a nurse and swore after first test it was just a sinus infection and only retested because she wanted antibiotics and was required to take a test. She takes care of Covid patients for a living and didnāt recognize her own case.
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Oh my god Iām so glad they got him in
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Yikes. I hope the surgery was successful. That mustāve been so scary for your friend!
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Headed out to visit family the day after tomorrow, and while I have N95s for the airport and plane (and from other flights Iāve taken mask usage has been well-enforced), the destination is a very much a covid-isnāt-real part of the country. My direct relative isnāt a part of that, thankfully for my sanity, but I have a bad feeling that the Christmas dinner they want to attend is going to involve at least a couple people who are.
Itās hard because while I remain not particularly concerned about myself since Iām boosted and without most of the (known) risk factors, I sure as hell donāt want to risk carrying it to anyone else even if they are being (IMO) idiots. I may try opting out of the dinner part and just stick to the visiting relative and going absolutely nowhere except their house part.
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This all makes me super curious if the cold that swept my family the end of last month was in fact Covid cases. It shouldnāt have been able to be omicron yet though. My brother and his wife, then my MIL, through us, all got their asses KICKED. Muscle soreness, mega fatigue. Felt more like a normal and mild/moderate cold for us. Brother and his wife had tested negative that morning on rapid tests, but they never took a follow up. They both work public facing jobs, one in healthcare, one with a lot of āaināt no Covidā exposure.
Iāll proceed with caution obviously but this talk of the test timing really makes me wonder!
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Yeah, Iām still on target to get on a plane tomorrow from one high vaccine/high transmission area to another. Weāve all been rapid testing (negative yesterday and today, took a PCR yesterday thatās not back yet), though Iām now more nervous about that strategy. Everyone involved is boosted and Iām pretty sure weāre just gonna hang out at their house and get takeout.
I guess my risk tolerance just continues to go up? I definitely donāt want to give them covid (or vice verse), but Iām also SO sick of canceling plans. Maybe itās naive but I guess Iām trusting our boosters to keep us from getting it, or at least getting severe disease. Itās just the absolute worst timing for this to surge. Even another week would make a big difference in info.
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Is omnicron more severe or not? Iām getting confused. My husband doesnāt have a booster yet so Iām really worried since Iām reading that his two dose doesnāt do jack against omnicron?
Just so sure heās gonna get it before the booster and worrying.
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I think there is very preliminary data and a lot of very wishful thinking that it is less severe but there is a lot of unknowns and also itās complicated?
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Itās almost certainly more transmissible. It might be less severe- early data suggests yes.
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JFC. So do I, like, just start licking door knobs in public places to get this over with? Yeesh. 
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I think there is no chance I donāt get covid now, with the kids in daycare, and me working in an office.
Hereās hoping it is mild, and especially mild when the kids get it.
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Yesss Chicago, yessss
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Hooray! I do not like the mayor, but I like that she is doing this. Letās hope people actually check, at least 1 bar just said ānever mindā to me over the summer as I was fumbling thru my phone for the vax card picture!?!
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